Courtroom Happenings
by XSketch
Summary: Scully puts Kallenbrunner in his place.


SPOILERS: The Truth CLASSIFICATION: MSR, S, A, Scully POV, AU (this is how she SHOULD have reacted)  
DISCLAIMER: YAWN Huh? Oh, yeah they're mine - I bought 'em off eBay for a great price (found them under the title 'mistreated, broken characters in need of better home') My username's 'suchbadliarsuckers'...You didn't see me bid? Ah well, I guess until you find out properly, they remain the legal property of CC, Fox, 1013 and all their affiliates! sigh  
DEDICATION: To Pattie, for the mention in her story 'Postcard From Fanficland II' (go Read it!! :)) - can I take that as an official poke?  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: She DIDN'T argue back? What the f--?! I know people moan about how different Scully was in seasons 8 & 9, but I always put it down to a need for character development (heck, how can you not expect her emotions to show more after all she's been through?). But, I'm sorry CC: her testimony in The Truth was unforgivable!! The Scully we know and love would never have just sat there and let the arrogant little man have the final word; I have to wonder if her personality was transplanted into Reyes after her impressive fiery tirade!

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This is not happening.

So many times I've said that through the years. So many moments of tightly squeezing my eyes shut and praying that when I open them again that it's all been a bad dream. The thing is, it never is. This time is no exception.

This _is_ happening.

Maybe it's time I just accept it and stop trying to fool myself, but too much is at stake this time: Mulder's back, and he's on trial for the supposed 'murder' of a man we all damn well know can't die...a supersoldier by the name of Knowle Rohrer. Of course, the trial is as big a sham as the reason for its existence, but still I sit here testifying for my partner in the futile hope that for once we're thrown a life-saving line.

The prosecutor stands, my anger rises, and for a brief moment I lock eye contact with the cowardly bastard that could have put an end to this... Obviously, however, my begging had not been enough to appeal to the side of him that had warned of the danger to Mulder's life at the start of the year.

'You send him away to save us, and now you're going to let Them do _this_?'

'I told you, Agent Scully, the risks. I made it clear to you what would happen if Mulder came back - if They found him. The fact is, your partner - for all of that - got too close and They caught him. The situation is out of my hands now.'

'But...You can--...He had to--...He has a clean record and he was the Bureau's top agent! Surely those good qualities of character can be used to get him released? You know he wouldn't kill anybody in cold blood, and it's bad enough that this military officer he's accused of killing can't actually be killed! Are you really telling me power must always rule over justice?'

'...Justice, Agent Scully? These people know nothing of such a thing!'

'But--'

'I will try to see what I can do, but I can't make promises.'

_Try_? Promises? He'd probably laughed his head off after I'd left the office.

I'd made a quick prayer to God on my way to meet back up with Skinner, but not even He seemed to be listening.

"...hard to keep count without a scorecard..."

Who the hell is this Agent Kallenbrunner? Who does he think he is with that smug grin and rude ignorance - scoffing at everything I have had to go through since joining the X-Files? ...At all Mulder and I have have fought for, lost, sacrificed for nine years? But then, I was once as naive as him, so maybe I should put it down to his blindness to this corrupt world.

In the end, that won't save Mulder, though.

"You're being facetious," I grind out, staring at the prosecutor with eyes like daggers.

Unfazed, still he questions the evidence right under his nose. No proof? The Mars rock isn't enough? Doesn't he find it convenient that nothing regarded as 'proof' has survived? Either he really is that ignorant, or he's one of Them and purposely burying the truth.

There's a pause, he looks down at his notes briefly, and then: "Agent Scully, iwn't it true that you and Mulder were lovers and you got pregnant and had his lovechild?"

Just beyond my peripheral vision I sense Mulder's head snap up and the tether that had been keeping my emotions in check until now finally breaks. Kallenbrunner had successfully made what Mulder and I share sound like some sordid affair out of a daytime soap opera...and William--

The walls quickly go back up around my heart before the thought of my lost son reduces me to tears yet again in front of these monsters that are the cause of it all. Even the word used to describe him shoots an arrow of pain into my core.

Lovechild.

Yes, he was the product of the overwhelming care, trust and love me and my partner have for each other, but why does the word make me feel so dirty at the same time?

My mouth moves to object, but nothing comes out and all I can do is watch as Kallenbrunner returns to his seat - believing his job of belittling me is over.

_'Where's that fire I love about you?' _Mulder's voice in my head queries, and as my anger begins to reach boiling point, I realise I don't know the answer.

"Agent Scully?" Kersh starts, clearing his throat, when I don't move from the chair. "You can leave now."

No, I can't leave...Not yet - not while Kallenbrunner's spiteful accusation remains in the air. This may be happening, but I sure as hell am not going to let him degrade the meaning and importance of my partnership with Fox Mulder - sounding like something hot off the rumor mill!

"Lovers?!" I suddenly spit out, fixing my gaze on the shocked prosecutor and standing up. "Why does everybody have the monotonous, adolescent and ignorant idea in their head that just because Agent Mulder and I worked well as a team, we must surely be having some kind of torrid affair behind closed doors?"

There was the faint sound of Mulder's snatched breath intake, but that was then washed out by Kallenbrunner's "But you _did_ sleep together." No hint of question at all.

"I was assigned to _destroy_ this man's hard work, so that the lies would remain buried, but what They didn't anticipate when They assigned me, was that I would actually come to respect Agent Mulder's plight, an--"

"Are you denying ever sleeping with Agent Mulder?" Kallenbrunner snaps, pointing a finger at me and then my partner as he stands again.

"For eight years Mulder and I made sacrifices most others wouldn't - he lost the remaining members of his family, and my sister was gunned down in my place. I barely survived Cancer that by all laws of science should have killed me; all my ova were taken, leaving me supposedly infertile; Mulder was abducted and tortured to death...I ...I..."

"Scully..." I hear the whispered reassurance from my right to try calm me, but as the most recent wounds are laid bare once again, I just can't stop my tear-choked tirade.

"For six months I searched aimlessly for my partner - three months of which I had to mourn his death. By a miracle, he was brought back. Another miracle gave us a son, but then - for safety - Mulder had to leave... Not long ago I had to give away our son..." William. God, what had I done? How could Mulder forgive me for giving away his son when I couldn't even forgive myself? This shouldn't be happening...

'This is not happening.'

But again I have to remind myself that it is.

"Agent Scu-"

"Leave her alone!"

I turn my head to see my partner also now on his feet - guards rushing to flank either side of him in case he should make a move. He briefly eyes them, but then fixes his warm gaze on me and gives a slight, slow nod of his head. I take that as my cue and look back at the out-of-state agent.

"Nine years of pain, tears, heartache, risks, running, deception and a million other things, but against all odds we've survived and reached this point. We've shared the greatest trust, care and friendship others can only dream of, and I'm sure you'll never know. Did we sleep together? Yes, we finally consummated our relationship after seven years of denial. But before you refer to it as some mindless and insignificant dirty act, consider how much we had to go through to get there! We're not 'lovers' - we never have been and never will be. We're _more_ than that - a _lot_ more: we're the bestest of friends. Soulmates. Partners."

With nothing left to say, I kicked back the chair, heard Mulder's muttered "Amen", and then marched steadily out of the room.

Nobody uttered a word to stop me.

And I _was_ right; 'Lovers' would never be a word to descibe the deep connection we shared. And William - my dear, sweet William - was not just a 'lovechild': he was a miracle created by two determined souls that, even in the darkness, continued to believe. The sooner everybody else finally realised that, the better.

For now, I must calm down and get him out of here, though, before the darkness swallows us.

...If only this wasn't happeneing...

THE END


End file.
